Israel Massacres Innocent People

Akanimo Sampson

Bureau Chief, Port Harcourt

Israel Massacres Innocent People, Says Group

The Israeli Government has been accused of massacring innocent people in the Gaza.

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), a global federation of environmental rights advocacy groups, said in a statement yesterday that it was joining its member organisation in Palestine and the Palestinian people to call on the Israeli government to immediately halt the attack on Gaza and the massacre of innocent people.

FoEI Chairman, Nnimmo Bassey, said, ''as we write, over 500 Palestinians have been killed and close to 2500 have been wounded, including children and numerous civilians''.

According to him, ''the attacks and destruction, which began on December 27, 2008 are an unacceptable humanitarian catastrophe. These attacks have been indiscriminate and grossly disproportionate''.

Continuing, Bassey who is also the Executive Director of Nigeria's Environmental Rights Action (ERA), said Palestinian houses, universities, medical stores and mosques have been destroyed.

''The attacks have equally destroyed electricity and water supplies and have crippled other essential services already brought to there knees during the last two years, during which Palestinians in Gaza have been living under siege with food and fuel supplies being blocked and the healthcare system starved of basic medicine and equipment'', he said.

''FoEI denounces in strong terms all violent action and calls for an immediate ceasefire. We also demand the dismantling of the apartheid walls built across Palestinian territories as these have created major social, environmental and human rights abuses –making life extremely hazardous for the Palestinians and others'', Bassey said.

''We call for an immediate halt to this Israeli aggression against civilians in Gaza and an end to all violence against civilians on both sides. We also call for access to medical and food supplies in Gaza.

''The ongoing destruction is a deep scar on the conscience of the world and cannot be allowed to continue.

''We ask peoples across the world to unite in action for solidarity and peace, and call on all governments to bring pressure to bear for a just and lasting peace'', the global network said.

ENDS

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